What Happened to Music?
Bands are going the way of the dodo bird, and I'm still making bread
I was looking at the top music charts the other day as I tried to ignore politics because I had a sneaking suspicion — band culture is different. The Billboard Hot 100 is filled with solo artists. Many of whom rely on autotune and other electronic devices to make their music.
As I dug further, I learned that, according to one analysis, “[I]n 1995, ‘bands’ accounted for around 41% of the top chart slots, but by 2023 that had dropped to about 4%.”
Rick Beato has a good video on this trend:
Streaming has played a role. The economics don’t really justify multiple band members today.
Technology has played a role. Musicians can make music in their bedroom, as I wrote about years ago with Soundcloud rappers. So who needs to hire that drummer?
Marketing has played a role. As Beato describes in his video, it’s easier for record labels to market and brand one person as opposed to a group.
It’s also just really hard to get along with everyone in a band. Anyone who’s watched the Beatles’ documentary knows that interpersonal drama can kill the best bands.
All of these forces have destroyed music as we used to know it. It has changed bands forever. They’re no longer needed.
Instead of musicians writing their own songs and playing their own instruments, whether by themselves or with fellow musicians, more artists simply rely on electronics. Many use the same drum sounds on the same recording software.
I don’t see this trend changing. Which is troubling.
Assuming you appreciate music derived from artistic collaboration and synergy. Many of the best songs in history were written through collaborations (think John & Paul, who authored most of the Beatles’ hits).
It’s also troubling if you appreciate organic sound. Raw, human, and unique sounds that often started in real garages, not on GarageBand. Less bands means less organic interplay between real instruments.
All of this had me reflecting on my musical upbringing. How music dominated my childhood home and youth. How my friends growing up all loved music, even if most of us weren’t musicians. How I thought I was a rapper.
So I wrote this piece about My Millennial Life in Music, From Classic Rock to Big Beats.
Let’s take it back to the beginning. To the music that made a man. To the melodies that soothed me when I was down, the beats that hyped me when I was up, and the classic cuts that inspired me when I needed a jolt.
Forget music, make bread
When I don’t like where the world is trending, whether it’s musically or politically, I make bread. Or I explore culture through travel, food, and occasionally, 7-Elevens.
In honor of fall, I attempted a pumpkin sourdough loaf. I used my standard recipe, but added about 120 grams of pumpkin puree and about 15 grams of honey after mixing the starter and water.
The result? Not an overwhelming pumpkin taste, but subtle enough to enjoy. I might up the ante with 200 grams of pumpkin next time. Here’s a short video of my efforts:
I love baking sourdough because it slows me down. As I mentioned last week, we all need a timeline cleanse. An escape from the madness of the real world. And constant reminders of what’s important.
For me, sourdough helps keep me grounded.
And there’s a new sourdough movie coming shortly on YouTube this week, so make sure you’re subscribed!
Have a good week.
For more from me, make sure to follow on Threads and X, and check out the best political writing on the internet at my publication, The Political Prism (almost 11k subs!).
Happy Tuesday John
I stopped listening to music after 2020 lol
Nothing like a bit of dough to restore sanity when the charts and the world both feel off-key.